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Norfolk mayor announces city is looking into renovating Scope

Posted at 9:57 AM, May 12, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-12 18:32:30-04

NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander announced the city is looking into renovating Scope.

Mayor Alexander made the announcement during his first State of the City address on Friday afternoon.

The city entered into an agreement with Oak View Group to study the possibilities of renovation. The company will report back to the city at a later date.

“Scope is a tired facility,” Alexander said. “It needs major upgrades and this gives us an opportunity to look at it. We’re just looking at Scope.”

Several questions still remain, including the cost of renovations and design plans. “How do we renovate the existing structure, keep the historical element being the roof and other elements, and build it into a first class sports and entertainment center?” asked Peter Luukko, from Oak View Group.

A private developer is planning to build an arena near the Oceanfront.

Construction is expected to start later this year. A reporter asked Mayor Alexander how the two would coexist. “I can’t speak to what other cities may do,” he said. “I can tell you what we have. We have an arena here in the city that’s used by the entire region.”